SOLUTION: Solve using addition/elimination. Tweedledum says to Tweedledee, "The sum of your weight and twice mine is 361 pounds." Then Tweedledee says to Tweedledum, "Contrarywise, the su

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Question 162698: Solve using addition/elimination.
Tweedledum says to Tweedledee, "The sum of your weight and twice mine is 361 pounds." Then Tweedledee says to Tweedledum, "Contrarywise, the sum of your weight and twice mine is 362 pounds." Find their weights.
Answer by Earlsdon(6294) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let x = Tweedledee's weight and y = Tweedledum's weight.
According to Tweedledum:
1) x+2y = 361 Lbs.
According to Tweedledee:
2) 2x+y = 362 Lbs.
We'll need to solve this system of equations to find their respective weights.
Multiply equation 1) by 2 then subtract equation 2) from equation 1.
1) 2x+4y = 722
2) -(2x+y = 362)
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3) 3y = 360 Divide both sides by 3.
4) y = 120 and, from equation 1) x = 361-2y
5) x = 361-2(120)
5) x = 361- 240
5) x = 121
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So, Tweedledee's weight (x) is 121 Lbs and Tweedledum's weight (y) is 120 Lbs.
Let's check this solution:
According to Tweedledum:
121+2(120) = 121+240 = 361 Lbs.
According to Tweedledum:
120+2(121) = 120+242 = 362 Lbs.
I just hope that I didn't get the two Tweedles mixed up!